Thursday, April 09, 2009

Talk to Koh Tsu Koon About Unity?

Lee & Koh during the last campaign (The Star)

Koh trying to appease Chia after he was not nominated for much anticipated state seat.

Gerakan president Koh Tsu Koon has finally made it to the cabinet. His inclusion has been speculated for months. Leaders and members of Gerakan were actively involved in the lobbying, believing that a ministerial position for Koh will help the party to regain back power in Penang.

Koh has been appointed as a Minister in the PM's department looking after national unity. But who wants to talk to Koh about unity? Koh does not have an impressive track record on unity.

He was instrumental in creating disunity among his top leaders in Penang during the last general election. He was the main man who played the CM musical chair with Chia Kwang Chye, Teng Hock Nan, Teng Chang Yeow and Lee Kah Choon. This had created dissatisfaction and suspicion between the four leaders.

The outcome was catastrophic for the party. Lee joined the new state administration led by DAP. Chia and his brothers had remained on the sideline since his defeat at the party's state chairmanship contest by Teng. All of the four were defeated in the last general election. The defeats were not thought to be possible before the CM nomination ruckus.

Perhaps Koh should try his hand at uniting his party's leadership first before trying to do the same for the country. Koh is the only winner in the whole shameful period of Gerakan's campaign in Penang. He is now a cabinet minister.

" Gerakan Acting President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said it is not currently under his consideration whether to accept offers to enter the Cabinet. He said he and other leaders of the party refused to accept any offer for the positions of Senator and minister for two reasons.

Koh said that even MIC President has mentioned it that it was indeed going through the back door if he accepted the offer as a Senator after being defeated in the general elections. Besides, the Opposition also said on the last day of the campaign period that: there is no need to vote for Koh Tsu Koon as he can be a minister through the Senator appointment.” If he becomes a minister by such a way, it would be contrary to the true meaning of the democratic elections.

“Besides, as the party was defeated this time, I'll focus on the revitalisation of the party and be a full-time acting president,” he said. (Has he revitalised Gerakan? If not the party needs a full time president)

He added that a Cabinet minister would have to be responsible for the ministry, the party and the constituency. One could not do carry out all duties simultaneously if he wants to do well."(This is Koh's own assessment of his performance - a prophecy)

UPDATES:

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But this guy hardly spoke a word during his heydays, the most he had spoken was during the debate. How to unite the diverse races if talking is not his first love, reading books is as all penangnites know.

Khoo, I think it's time that we should follow Singapore's style. Senators should be like Nominated Member of Parliaments in Singapore. In Singapore, these list of NMPs must be vetted through and approved by the parliamentary select commitee before submitting to the President in which there would be another round of vetting through by President's Advisory Council memebers. We can't afford to have political rejects being admitted through the backdoor. Even if permitted, it should be men of high stature. Criteria of selecting candidate for President in Singapore is one bloody good example. Dewan Negara senators should be made up of non partisan folks from all corners. Singapore has done it. Malaysia should do it as well. It's proven NMPs are far better in debating issues. One of them is the motion of revamping GRC by allowing by election in case one member deceased or resigned. The Bukit Batok case, the demise of Ong Chit Chung

Khoo, In this case, Chew & Khoo are considered rejects. Wanna be ministers, stand for election and being chosen by the people. Else....Poodah.

The beggar Ah Koon doesn't even realize he's been made a fool. Unity....choosing CM blunder. Performance....what performance, you lost Penang.Umno members are laughing behind your back for nibbling the crumb.

Kay Peng, if I may be allowed to reproduce a comment I made at Dr Hsu's forum on KTK (I haven't had time to write a post in my blog about the new cabinet)

I haven’t had time to write a post on the new cabinet in my blog so I’ll share some thoughts I have about KTK’s appointment as minister in the PM’s department.

As KTK admitted, Gerakan did lobby for the position. I would like to add here that having known KTK for 23 years and worked with him for 10 years, I do not think he sought the trappings of power. He is simply not that type of person unless my judgment of him is totally out.

Despite my opposing his politics today (he knows it and I haven’t spoken to him in 5-6 months), I will still stand by my belief that he is not a power hungry politician.

He feels responsible that Gerakan suffered its worst electoral defeat under his watch. He also feels that it is his responsibility to bring back the party to relevance but unfortunately he no longer knows how.

In some sense he is poorly advised that having a voice in the cabinet will somehow enable them to play the role of ‘BN’s conscience’ and in turn attract ‘middle ground’ Malaysians back to them.

On this I have to say that he and his advisers are greatly mistaken. I have said this to him before, Gerakan is finished, simple as that. It has missed opportunity after opportunity to leave the BN and do something for itself but alas they wasted those opportunities.

In short, KTK and Gerakan are grasping at straws trying to stay alive and not consigned to the history books. Unfortunately for them, the inability to think out of the box is going to send them there. Too bad Dr Hsu is only 1 lone voice in the CC.

Having said the above, I still stand by my belief that KTK is a decent person, just ill advised and not a risk taker by nature (to put it mildly). Not the best of traits for the leadership of a Malaysian political party where its a dog-eat-dog world.

I can tell you all from my meetings with KTK soon after 8 March where a few of us tried to persuade him to bring Gerakan out of BN (Dr Hsu was present as well) and the truth is KTK originally did not agree to the goading of his cadres to lobby for a senatorship and a cabinet position. He was actually skeptical of the idea and felt that it was not right considering that Gerakan was almost wiped out by winning only 2 parliamentary seats out of the many it contested.

I do not know what happened after I broke off contact with KTK 6 months ago but I can only guess that those cadres of his won his mind over.

This is his weakness. The need to please those who blow smoke up his ass and thinking that they are his and the party’s only salvation.

If only he had been strong minded enough to reach out to Dr Hsu and others like the good doc, KTK and Gerakan would not be in the predicament it is in right now.

My opinion is that he will fail as a unity minister because those who would disrupt Malaysia’s unity are real bad people and a big stick would be needed. These people are beyond persuasion.

Though I wish KTK well, I do not think he can wield the big stick and most probably will be trampled on by the racist bastards especially when he no longer commands the support of ordinary Malaysians of middle ground Malaysia.

Dr Hsu, you have my permission to reproduce this comment for KTK. I still hold him in high regard as an ordinary fellow Malaysian but not as a politician and especially a party leader in the local scene. Please tell him I have nothing against him except his politics.

Please you people whether you all are rakayt of Malaysia or what..... Whatever being decided by our premier or decision made is no by one person..... If a person is capable why not we use them or rather find a useless people..... Rakyat we should think we are still surviving till now> Why because of speedy development, foreign factories...... a saying " Rome is not built in one day" and don't think foreigner are idoit.....

Khoo Kay Peng

Khoo Kay Peng

About Me

Kay Peng is a strategy and management consultant and a political analyst. He holds a bachelor degree in Economics from the University of Malaya and a master of arts degree in International Relations from the University of Warwick. He was a Kuok Foundation and a British Chevening scholar.

For more information on what he does; please visit www.i3mgroup.com

Responses posted on this blog do not represent the views of the blogger unless stated.